


scars be damned

by archiebettyveronica



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Angst, Betty Cooper Needs a Hug, Canon Compliant, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Implied Sexual Content, Multi, Polyamory, mentions of past trauma, to a point... I changed somethings to fit the narrative
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-14
Updated: 2019-07-14
Packaged: 2020-06-28 09:41:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,411
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19809673
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/archiebettyveronica/pseuds/archiebettyveronica
Summary: It's one of the few days this summer that Betty and Veronica both have off, and Cheryl's having a pool party at Thistlehouse. The prospect of wearing a two-piece swim suit shouldn't be as daunting as it is, but for Betty it is. Veronica and Archie are there to ease her fears.





	scars be damned

**Author's Note:**

> So, I'm really bad at descriptions but basically Betty is uncomfortable about some scars on her body and V and Archie comfort her.
> 
> This idea came to me randomly when I was trying, and struggling, to write something else with a much darker tone. It's un-beta'd so there are probably a ton of mistakes throughout, but I'm happy with what I did write and will probably comeback and edit once it's not so fresh in my mind.
> 
> Also, I'm gonna be honest here, the Archie and Betty moments are a bit stilted because they aren't my favorite dynamic within this trio, but I made a valiant effort. 
> 
> Lastly, I changed a bit of the details from prom night and Penelope's game from the season 3 finale, so they'd better suit this story. I also eliminated Bughead completely from this story, I don't explicitly say that in the story itself. ABV has been dating for about a year or so, with a few break ups, but they're really strong in this.
> 
> I talk too much, but enjoy. Feedback is always appreciated.

Betty stands in front of her bed, towel wrapped tightly around her body, as she stares at the swim suit that she’d laid out earlier. She’d bought it a couple weeks before with the intention of getting out of her comfort zone and being braver. It wasn’t a revealing piece of clothing, it was actual quite modest for a two-piece, but it showed more skin than she’d ever dared show in a public setting these days.

Sucking in a large breath, Betty drops her towel and grabs the swim suit, slowly putting it on and standing in front of the mirror. 

She doesn’t completely hate what she sees reflected in the mirror. The girl staring back at her has a thinner frame than she had in past summers, she’s a little taller and her chest is bit fuller. She wants to be happy with the body she sees in the mirror, but the scars on her shoulder and her stomach staring back at her taunt her with the memories of how she got them.

Flashes of her father chasing her down the dimly lit halls of Riverdale High during prom night in a hood armed with a knife play in her head. She can vividly remember how hard her heart was pounding and the burn in her lungs as she tried to get away. Try as her did, she couldn’t outrun him. He’d gotten her cornered, hand around her neck, slowly constricting her airway. She managed to get out of his grasp and run, but not before she felt the sting of his knife piercing her skin and felt him twisting it. Before she even has time to react, he’d pulled the knife out and did it again. She’s not sure when he leaves, but she heard her name being called before she feels herself being lifted. The next thing she remembers are harsh lights and bright, white walls.

Not even a few weeks later, she running through Fox Forest in another gown trying to survive Penelope’s twisted game. All her friends have completed their challenges and now it’s her turn. The quest card comes with a gun and one bullet, and when she looks up, she’s face to face with her father. He gave her another one of his speeches about how their the same and her destiny is to kill him―to become him. He’d lifted his gun and pointed it at her head, and she lifted hers. She remembers hearing him count down then her pulling trigger and seeing him fall. There was so much adrenaline pumping through her that she hadn’t realized that a bullet had torn through her shoulder until she feels a warm liquid dripping down her arm. Penelope shows up and puts a bullet through his head. She doesn’t know why but she falls to the ground as a sob tears through her. There was no time for tears though, Penelope has her men charging towards her and friends with an order to kill.

She’ll never be able to forget those nights. They play on a loop in her mind when she drifts off most nights. 

Betty hears a soft knock on her door that bring her out of her thoughts then she hears Veronica’s soft voice filtering through the wood. “B, are you ready? Kevin keeps texting to ask where we are and I can’t keep texting him ‘be there soon’.” 

Betty hears a soft chuckle that doesn’t come from Veronica and she wonders when Archie had gotten here. He’d told them he had to help his dad out at the construction site so she hadn't expected to see him until later that night at their standing movie night. 

When she doesn’t respond, she hears the door being pushed open then they're standing behind her in the mirror, eyes finding her in the reflection. She sees them soften as they realize why she isn't ready.

“Betty, we don’t have to go to Cheryl’s party if you don’t want to,” Archie says softly, stepping closer and wrapping her in a strong embrace. He runs the pads of his fingers over the scars on her stomach. It’s a comforting gesture.

Veronica gently rests her hand on Betty’s cheek and turns her face towards her. “B, it’s really okay if you don’t want to go. We can stay her and watch movies.”

“No, I want to go. It’s just- I-,” she can’t finish the sentence, but she knows they understand.

“You don’t have to wear this swimsuit if it makes you feel uncomfortable. No one’s expecting you to, at least Archiekins and I aren’t.”

“I bought this a few weeks ago because I was starting to feel better about everything but putting it on now. I don’t know.” She pauses. “It sent me spiraling into those memories.”

Archie speaks up from behind her. “Betts, you can change or I can give you my t-shirt if that would make you feel more comfortable.”

She knows that he means well, but he doesn’t completely understand that it’s not really about the swimsuit. It’s about the body in the swimsuit and the scars on it. The stories attached the scars.

She knows that everyone in town knows what happened, but they haven’t seen it. She’s felt the stares on her in the halls of Riverdale High and at Pop’s when she’s covered in a sweater and jeans, she can’t imagine how much worse it’ll be when people can see the damage.

She turns back towards the mirror and meets Archie’s eyes in the reflection. “Arch, that’s very sweet of you to offer, but it’s not about the swimsuit. It’s about these.” She places her hands on top of his and motions towards her shoulders with her eyes. “No one but you and V have seen them.”

“And if you want it to stay that way then we can skip the party. You don’t have to do something you’re not ready for just because you think you have to,” Veronica says softly as she steps between Betty and the mirror.

“I’m ready,” Betty says, her voice quiet but assured, “just not for all the whispers.”

“Then maybe we take things slow and show one scar for now,” Veronica says as she places a hand on Betty’s jaw, the pad of her thumb softly resting on the corner of her lip. Veronica leans up and drops a soft kiss on her lips. “Also, I don’t think Cheryl wants you to know this, but she’s been threatening people that talk about you in an… unfavorable way.”

They all chuckle at that. It’s just like Cheryl to secretly do something kind. Well, her own version of kind.

She feels Archie hug her a little tighter and looks up at the mirror to meet his eyes. He smiles at her and says, “We can walk into the party, our heads held high and have a good time. Our scars be damned.” 

Betty has never been more grateful to have them than she is in this moment. She’s been putting up a brave front for everyone, mostly for herself if she’s being honest, but with them she doesn’t have to.

They stay standing in front of the mirror for a few moments before Betty breaks Archie’s embrace to change. She rummages through her drawer and pulls out the first swimsuit she finds, and she quietly walks into the bathroom, shutting the door behind her. When she emerges, she’s wearing a baby blue one piece with her hair in a neat ponytail. 

There are small smiles on their faces when they see her. She looks more comfortable, even with her shoulder scar on full display. 

“You guys ready?” She asks, a smile on her lips mirroring their own.

* * *

The party is fine, not as many stares and whispers as she expected, but she suspects that Cheryl has something to do with that. Whatever the reason, she’s grateful that she didn’t have to hear the things people think of her and her father.

* * *

Later that night, when they’re all cuddled up on Archie’s couch under a pile of blankets, she feels a rush of love and admiration for them. They’re barely even a quarter of the way through their second movie when she decides to show them just how much she loves them. Before long, they’re all tangled in Archie’s bed, clothing scattered on the floor long forgotten. The only thought in their minds is each other.

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> I'm debating a movie night one-shot after this but I'm still not sure.
> 
> anyways you can find me on tumblr (@archiebettyveronica) and say hi 👋


End file.
